Longwood joining Big South Conference in July

The Big South Conference announced Monday that Longwood University will become its 12th member starting July 1, 2012.

The Lancers, who have been competing as a Division I independent since 2007, will join fellow Virginia schools VMI, Liberty and Radford in the Big South.

Longwood was invited to join the conference following a vote by the Big South Council of Chief Executive Officers.

"We are excited and thrilled that Longwood University has been invited to join the Big South Conference," stated Longwood President Patrick Finnegan in a release. "We believe that participation in the Big South will enhance school spirit by developing rivalries both in state and beyond, will boost our recruiting abilities, and will allow us to demonstrate the skill of our student-athletes in a conference setting where they could be rewarded with participation in NCAA tournaments.

"By limiting the travel time for our student-athletes through conference play close to home, we will be able to continue to put the 'student' first. We look forward to showing that our Lancers can be competitive both on the field of play and in the classroom, while increasing the visibility for our outstanding institution."